Yes.
Yes, it is a modern version of old custom.
In big cities not much, but in villages yes, it is a part of burial ritual.
What's happening in Serbia
- Thread starter Nević Nenad
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Yes.
Yes, it is a modern version of old custom.
In big cities not much, but in villages yes, it is a part of burial ritual.
Nević Nenad
The Living Force
Actually, I checked it out. According to law anyone can. And its a good peaceful way to get attention to some problem.
Nević Nenad
The Living Force
Ah, "reconstructed". Semantics. I stand corrected.
Nević Nenad
The Living Force
It is true, and is happening today. At least in the Balkan orthodox churches, which are Romanian, Serbian, Greek and Bulgarian. I'm not sure for the Russian orthodox church. Russian church is much younger and strange to Balkan churches.While reading Early Christian Archaeology section in Ch 1 of FPTM, about the refrigerium, the meal in honor of the departed person (possibly in the graveyard), remembered that was told as a kid that Orthodox Serbs had a custom of doing that on the grave of the deceased person.
Is that true? Does this happen nowadays?
If so, it would show that parts of that early Christian tradition have survived even to this day, which would be remarkable.
Edit:
It says here that the custom is also part of official burial ritual in (all) Orthodox churches.
Donošenje hrane na grobove
Danas ćemo nešto reći o jednom pravoslavnom običaju, po kojemu su pravoslavni vrlo prepoznatljivi među nepravoslavnima....orthodoxhr.blogspot.com
On the day of the funeral, the family of the deceased prepares a meal for the people that attended the funeral. Earlier that was done in the home of the deceased, but nowadays in some nearby restaurant. Never on the grave or cemetery. Then you have "pomen" (pomana in Romania) or the remembrance in english, which comes in periods after the funeral (7 days, 40 days, 6 months), when people do take the food on the grave of their deceased. Of course its not three course meal, its more symbolic, but it must have a bit of bread (or grain cake), meat (or fish, if it is festing day), and some alcohol beverage. The wine is a must, because you must spill some of it on the grave. You just try the food and then share with the people who came on the graves of their deceased. You dont eat it as a lunch on the grave (although Romani Gypsies really do that, but thats show for itself) And then there are special days for the dead, zadusnice, which literally means "day for the souls". Biggest one is now on 31. october. I think there are some 7-8 zadusnice per year, cant remember correctly. On "zadusnice" you do all that, but for all your deceased, not just one. You dedicate food to the specific dead, for example, if the dead liked to eat cakes, you bring cake and dedicate it to that dead (my father will have some slivovitsa now on 31st
) At the end you share and exchange your food with the other people who came to the cemetery.It could be early christian customs and rituals, but I think that it is actually pagan rituals. Roman and pagan Slavic influence is very obvious in Serbian and Bulgarian church (Romanian is a bit younger) to the level that it is not far from the truth to say that Serbian, and Bulgarian to some degree, Christianity is translated paganism. For example Serbs and Bulgarians have holiday called "Vidovdan" (biggest holiday in Serbia) but not for the St. Vitus, but for the Slavic god Svetovid (Svyatovid, Svantevid. Germanic analog is Odin). Also, every Serbian family have its own saint, patron of family, (Lares, in old Rome) and celebrates his/hers day, which is called Slava. (for example mine is St. Stephen protomartyr, deacon of Jerusalem) In many Serbian homes you will see in some corner icon of that saint with little candle hanging in front of it, just like on the roads in Greece. Allegedly, the family get their patron saint on the day when they were converted to christianity, but its more likely that indicates that roman paganism was still "standing strong" in these parts when christianity arrived.
It is still done on the grave and cemetery in villages.
And then there are special days for the dead, zadusnice, which literally means "day for the souls". Biggest one is now on 31. october. I think there are some 7-8 zadusnice per year, cant remember correctly. On "zadusnice" you do all that, but for all your deceased, not just one. You dedicate food to the specific dead, for example, if the dead liked to eat cakes, you bring cake and dedicate it to that dead (my father will have some slivovitsa now on 31st
On 1st November will be the next one. Some people go the day before if they cannot make it on the Saturday.
Nević Nenad
The Living Force
Region depending. In central Sumadija, I just went to the funeral last saturday, and it was in near by restaurant. I dont remeber that was on the graveyard ever. (BTW, the man died couple hours after receiving experimental "bio" therapy). And we are going on 31st, actually always on Saturday.
If you dont agree I will release all the might of our Flavia Felix legion on your Dalmatia border. You will experience the wrath of Moesia Superior!
(apropos Roman pagan rituals and if I read roman map properly
)
I believe you. Some regions are more traditional than others. There is a whole set of rituals here that even the priests who do not fully agree with them must follow or they will be expelled.
I'm sorry to disagree with you, but 31st is Friday.
If you dont agree I will release all the might of our Flavia Felix legion on your Dalmatia border. You will experience the wrath of Moesia Superior!
(apropos Roman pagan rituals and if I read roman map properly
Yes, this was once Dalmatia, which later on turned into Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy. No wonder why there are differences between present regions.
Nević Nenad
The Living Force
Hm! Barbarians... We are going on saturday! 
Anyway, for those interested more in roman history in these parts, I recommend documentary called: Travelling the roman empire. The episodes: Croatia, kingdom of salt and sea, and: Serbia, Crucible of Warriors.
Anyway, for those interested more in roman history in these parts, I recommend documentary called: Travelling the roman empire. The episodes: Croatia, kingdom of salt and sea, and: Serbia, Crucible of Warriors.
